Pocket-ballot.



PATENTBD SEPT M. DUNN.

POCKET BALLOT.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 19. 1905.

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-PATENTBD SEPT. 11., 1906.

M. DUNN.

POCKET BALLOT.

APPLIOATIQN FILED 11.1.1. 19, 1905.

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POCKET BALLOT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN..19. 1905.

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POCKET-BALLOT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application tiled January 19, 1905. Serial No. 241,881.

To cir/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MONCENA DUNN, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Marshfield, in the county of Wood and State of I/Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in PocketeBallots, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ballots, and has for its objects to produce a simple efficient device of this character especially adaptable for use in secret voting, one wherein the candidate or candidates may be readily selected by the voter and the votes cast counted with facility, and one whereby in voting a split ticket the liability of errors arising through ignorance of the voter is wholly obviated.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of a ballot embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an outer face view of the envelop or folder for inclosing the ballot. Fig. 4 is an inside view of the same.

5 is a section through the folder, showing the same closed and sealed and 'parts of the ballot in position in their respective pockets. Fig. 6 is a view of the returnen velop for returning parts of the ballot which are not used. Fig. 7 is a transverse section through the envelop, showing the unused portion of the ballot therein.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates my improved ballot which as a whole is composed of a plurality of contrastingly-colored sheets or tickets 2, preferably of unequal lengths and assembled in such manner as to expose portions 3 of all the sheets at the upper end or head of the ballot, there being printed on these exposed portions the names of the different parties represented by the respective tickets, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, while the tickets are secured together by means of staples 4 or other suitable fasteners.

Each ticket is composed of a plurality of individual sections or coupons 5, bearing, respectively, the names of the individual candidates of which the party-ticket is made up, the ticket being appropriately perforated at 6, whereby the coupons may be readily detached, while the coupons further bear appropriate designating numbers or ordinals 7, by which the individual candidates are indicated. be individually detached, or the entire ticket may be detached along the top perforated line 6 and folded along the central longitu* dinal line of perforations 8 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

For inclosing the ticket or selected portions thereof in casting a vote I provide an envelop or folder 9, having upon opposite sides of its outer face printed instructions 10 for the voter, together with indicated spaces for entry of the city, district, and signature of the ballot-clerk, While upon the inner face of the folder, which is provided with suitablygummed flaps 11 and 12, there is provided a plurality of pockets 13, bearing, respectively, designating numbers or ordinals 14, which correspond to those on the .individual coupons 5, there being also printed on the inner face of the folder and severally within the pocket-spaces the official titles of the individual candidates, these titles corresponding to those printed on the coupons 5.

For the reception and return of the tickets or portions of tickets which remain unused after the ballot has been cast I provide a return-envelop 15, having printed upon one of its outer faces suitable instructions 16 for the voter, this envelop being provided with a gummed flap 17, whereby it may be sealed to prevent access being had to the returned portions of the ballot.

In practice if the voter desires to vote a straight ticket the appropriate sheet 2 Will be detached from the ballot at the line of perforations 6, folded at its center along the line S, and placed in the envelop 9, which may then be closed and sealed through the medium of the flaps 11 and 12, thus to prevent access being had to the ticket cast and insure secret voting. On the other hand, should the voter desire to vote a mixed or split7 ticket the desired coupons 5 may be selected from the various tickets, detached, and placed in the appropriate pockets 13, this operation being facilitated owing to the ordinals 7 of the coupons and those, 14, of the pockets corresponding, it being understood that the envelop will after such selection and arrangement of the coupons be closed and sealed, as heretofore described. After voting, the portion or portions of the ballot which remain unused are inclosed and sealed in the envelop 15, as before explained, and deposited in a separate box. It is obvious that inasmuch as the different parties are The coupons may, as before stated,

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represented by tickets which differ in color and the coupons of the candidates bear individual designating-ordinals a ready selection of the ticket or parts of different tickets to be voted may be readily made by the voter even though he may be unable to read and that consequently liabilities of errors or unintentionally wrong voting arising through ignorance of the voter is wholly obviated. Further, it is apparent that after the election the votes may7 because of the tickets being contrastingly colored and the coupons individually numbered, be counted with greater facility than is possible under existing circumstances, while at the same time secrecy in voting is eifectually preserved.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple -e'Hicient device which in practice will admirably perform its functions to the attainment of the ends in view, it being understood that minor changes in the details herein set forth may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope-of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what .is claimed as new is- 1. A ballot comprising a plurality of contrastingly-colored tickets bearing respectivelyV the names of the different political parties, said tickets each comprising a plurality of coupons bearing respectively the oliicial titles of the individual candidates and also bearing distinctive designating-ordinals.

2. A ballot comprising a plurality of con- Vtrastingly-colored tickets connected adjacent one end of the ballot and having eX- posed lportions projecting each beyond the preceding one at said connected end, said tickets bearing respectively on the exposed portions thereof the names of the different political parties.

3. A balloting-ticket comprising a plurality of separable coupons bearing respectively the official titles of the individual candidates and also bearing distinctive designating ordinals, and a folder having pockets' to receive the individual coupons, said pockets corresponding in number to the number of coupons and bearing respectively designating-ordinals and the official titles of the candidates corresponding to those on the several coupons7 whereby the contained coupons will occupy the same relative order and arrangement as in the ticket,` and means for sealing the folder to prevent access being had to the contained coupons. y

In testimony 'whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MONCENA DUNN. Witnesses:

C. B. EDWARDS, D. A. KNILANS. 

